


i know that hope suits us well

by harryblows



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, i'm sorry i'm overusing italics again, the songs i jam to basically, their story evolving around songs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-12-09
Packaged: 2018-08-15 06:26:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8045749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harryblows/pseuds/harryblows
Summary: Despite living in the same area for twenty years and attending the same college for two, Maya has never met Riley Matthews.How come now she is everywhere?





	1. everything's going to be quite alright

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I'm really glad and excited to finally bring you this fic.  
> I started writing this two weeks ago and experimenting with Riley and Maya's relationship has been real fun so far.  
> This au has been in my head for so long, and I really love the idea of Maya and Riley finding each other in every universe. So I really hope I got their chemistry alright. Also friendship between Maya, Farkle and Zay is a big deal in this fic (and to me of course), and I hope my words can make justice to that dynamic, which I believe is quite underrated .  
> I'll try to update this weekly, but feedback would be really appreciated. The usual apology for my mistakes which might be plenty since english isn't my mother tongue.  
> Fic's title is a translation from a lovely song called "Eclipse" by an argentinian artist called Roma Roldan which I'll link you to if you want me to.  
> Chapter's title is from "Hand On My Pocket" by queen Alanis M.  
> Obviously and sadly, I do not own any character from Girl Meets World, believe me. Otherwise, I would be more than happy make the show lots gayer. F#ck Disney and heteronormativity.  
> Enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bike, Alanis Morissette and a neon pink band aid.

Maya Hart feels like the world is smiling at her. Which isn’t the usual, like, at all.

The moving in had been great, thing she wasn’t counting on, really. But luckily and unexpectedly, Farkle and Zay ended up not making it that difficult for her. Zay didn’t try to “help” and he even stopped Farkle from messing with her stuff, which could have been, at least, terrible. She got all set in her new room before 1pm and they even got Chinese for lunch after finishing. It wasn’t mexican, Maya is aware, but she knows she’ll end up rubbing off her passion for tacos on her best friends slash new roommates.

Maybe this living arrangement would work after all.

 

Cheerfulness is not a frequent emotion on Maya, not the bouncing-on-her-feet kind, at least. But she arrives to the conclusion that she likes it, that she could actually live like this.

It’s not like she’s an emo or that her life is really _ that _ miserable, but she is kind of used to bad things happening.  Between her attempt-of-father leaving her when she was a child, her absent mother working double shifts so she could have a decent life, the morons she had for teachers getting on her nerves through all her high school career and her non existing love life, Maya thinks she got the memo from life. Stuff won’t get easy for her and least of all, relationships.

Farkle and Zay? That’s where she thinks she got lucky. They aren’t perfect, but she loves them the way they are and she’s pretty sure they love her too. So, that’s one thing that works out in her life. And that’s why, in her third year of college, she accepted moving in with them. Which seems not to suck, for now. 

Maya considers not-sucking an actual success, so of course she’s giddy.

She smiles to herself as she walks the New York streets by heart. Summer is still here, so are the last days of her vacations and the bright sun. So far, so great.

The idea of ice cream hits her mind and seduces her instantly. She types  _ fancy some ice cream, ladies? _ to the group chat she has with Farkle and Zay, and changes her route. Art supplies can wait. Carlo’s ice cream can’t.

She decides to kill time walking through the park and observing people. After all, the ice cream parlor is just one block away and she doesn’t feel like waiting for the boys inside, being such a sunny day and all. It’s not _her_ park, the one with the lemon tree and too many monkey bars two blocks from her old dorm, but it will do.

The first person she sees is a man walking his dog. The old golden retriever looks really happy and full of energy as it holds its own leash on its mouth. It looks like it’s happily walking itself. Maya decides she likes the dog, and she considers getting closer to pat its head until she sees its owner ogling the butt of a girl that passed by jogging. Really? A grown up asshole, disgusting. Maya sneers at him and watches as he steps into poop. His own dog’s poop. She doesn’t cover her mouth when she bursts out laughing and Disgusting Asshole glares at her. Karma does work for some people, she thinks and directs her sight somewhere else.

The next person isn’t a person, but two. Or so she thinks, as she tries to understand who is devouring who, and-is that actually healthy? Probably a reconciliation. Definitely not a PG rated one. Maya tells herself this is a normal attitude on teenagers and tries not to be grossed out. But then she sees more than one tongue and gags, so she figures the best thing for her stomach is to move on to her next victim.

She keeps walking and catches sight of a smiley toddler by the sandbox. The little boy is sitting next to who she thinks is his babysitter. She’s teaching him to make bubbles out of bubble wand, and the boy snorts when the bubbles pop. It’s an adorable sight until the girl ties the toddler’s shoelaces and he drinks the bubble solution. Maya would have helped the girl if this one hadn’t yelled and run away with the giggly boy on her arms. 

She’s so engrossed in her people-watching duty, she doesn’t see the one thing she should have seen. The bike. And the girl passionately singing Alanis Morrissette while riding it. Apparently, the girl doesn’t see Maya either, so it’s no surprise when she doesn’t hit the brakes on time.

There’s a crash and Maya ends up laying on the floor with a bloody knee. She sits up and rubs the back of her head because that hurt. “Shit, that hurt.”

“Oh my god. I’m so sorry! Are you okay? Are you hurt?” she hears a female voice rambling. She opens her eyes and all she sees are legs. Mile-long tanned legs. She thinks she must have been staring at the legs for a while, because the girl suddenly crouches and carefully grabs Maya’s head with both of her hands. She has huge brown eyes and a turquoise glittery bike helmet. And Maya is staring. 

“Did I hurt you?” the brunette tries again, her head now even closer to Maya’s. “I’m so sorry, I’m really clumsy, I was jus-wait, can you talk?!” Her eyes go even bigger as she inspects Maya’s face.

“That’s a subtle helmet.” It’s all she comes up with, and yeah, she shouldn’t have opened her mouth.

“Thanks.” The girl answers with a huge smile which soon crumbles. “Are you okay, though?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Maya frowns. “Aren’t you too old to wear a helmet while riding a bike?” She doesn’t mean to come out rude, but she is surprised. The girl has to be at least her age.

She blushes and helps Maya stand up. “I did run over you, didn’t I? Wasn’t the first time. And I have to protect this one.” She explains pointing to her head. “Is _your_ head okay? I’m sure your knee isn’t.” She looks at her with huge eyes again, worry written on her expression.

“That’s fair.” Maya can’t help but smile. This girl  _ is _ something else. “It’s nothing. I’ll get a band aid on this when I get home.” She shrugs it off as she cleans her dirty hands on her shorts and tries not to look at her disgusting knee.

“No need to.” The girl says as she starts looking for something on her backpack. 

Suddenly, she gets on her knees in front of Maya, and she has to stop herself from doing an inappropriate joke and looking like a jerk in front of the girl. The pretty girl, who is cleaning her knee with a tissue and putting a band-aid on it. A neon pink one. Maya is surprised she doesn’t try to kiss it better.

“Wow, that’s- thanks.”

“I’m always prepared.” The girl comments. “How is your head though? You didn’t answer that.”

“M’head is fine. Just hit the floor a bit. It’s alright.”

“It hit the floor?!” The brunette abruptly exclaims. “Oh my god. That can’t be fine. What if you got a concussion? I’m so sorry. I know! My uncle, he is a doctor. He can get you checked in five minutes, I’m two blocks from here-”

“You are rambling.” Maya teases and the girl blushes again. “It’s okay, I’m alright. I promise.” She says, a bit because it’s true and a bit because she doesn’t feel like getting herself checked by some old man. And also a bit to impress the girl. What can you do? Maya is just a girl, one who just happens to like pretty people.

“Are you sure? It’s my fault. He won’t mind at all.” The girl assures her while picking her bike up from the floor.

“I’m sure. Hey! This must be yours,” She says picking up an Ipod from the ground, the screen is broken but it is still playing Hand On My Pocket. “And I’m Maya.” She says extending her hand and the Ipod.

“Shoot! And I know.” The girl takes her hand and visibly panics. “I mean, I’m Riley.” 

“Have we already met?” Maya asks confused. “I’m sorry, I suck with faces.” That’s a lie, Maya is great with faces but she believes there’s no chance she could have forgotten a face like that. Or the legs, or the helmet.

“Not really.” Riley drops her hand. “I’ve seen you around NYU.”

“Do you go there too?”

“Yeah, studying Education.”

“That’s really cool.” Maya truthfully says. “Steinhardt, right? Do you live there?”

Riley nods to the first question. “Moved out last year. I actually live two blocks from here. You?”

“Studio Art, and I moved in with some friends just today. Five blocks from here.” 

“Today? That’s great. Congratulations!”

“Yeah, thanks.” Maya smiles.

“Well.” Riley smiles back, and damn, she is beautiful.

“Yeah?” 

“I can walk you home. I mean, to make sure your head is alright.”

“Yes!” Maya says a little too fast. “I mean, thanks, but I’m not heading home. I was just going to Carlo’s. You know the-”

“Yeah, of course!” She beams. “I love Carlo’s. They got the best Lemon Pie ice cream.”

“I never tried that one.” Maya admits. “I’d rather stick to my usual.”

“No!” Riley protests. “You  _ gotta _ try it. There’s no turning back.”

They make their way to the ice cream parlor and Maya promises to try the Lemon Pie and properly take care of her knee.

“Well, I guess I might see you around, then.” Maya says when they arrive to Carlo’s door, while she takes courage to ask Riley’s number. She might not even be gay, but she guesses it can’t be rude to ask. Right?

“Yeah, you might.” Riley smiles.

“I-”

“Bye Maya.” Riley interrupts her as she kisses her cheek and messily climbs on her bike. Maya freezes and watches her ride away.

“Bye.” Maya says to no one and enters the place.

She sits at the table where Farkle and Zay are already waiting for her with their own ice cream cones.

“Did a girl with a glittery bike helmet just kiss you?” Farkle asks furrowing his eyebrows.

“I think so.” Maya touches the cheek where Riley kissed her a minute ago.

“Was she even an adult?” Her friend inquires.

She nods.

“Someone’s getting laid.” Zay says wiggling his eyebrows while licking his ice cream.

“I didn’t even ask for her number.” Maya mutters.

“Well, that’s a great start then.” Zay comments sarcastically. 

“Is that a pink band-aid? On your knee?” Farkle asks even more confused.

Maya glares at both of them and heads to the counter. 

“The usual?” Gina, the lady behind the cash register asks her.

Maya considers it. “Nope, gimme a Lemon Pie one.”

“Alright.”

The ice cream is actually really good.

Maya gets home and kicks Farkle in the face when he tries to clean her knee with alcohol. 

After that, he won’t help her find Riley on social media, so she predictably fails. 

“There’s no use in your dumb programming abilities if you won’t use them to help me.” She shouts at him.

“Next time, think twice before kicking my face.” He yells back holding a pack of ice on his right eye.

She goes to bed angry and disappointed. She dreams with big brown eyes, the lyrics to “Hand On My Pocket”, turquoise glitter and the stupid promise of running into someone she hadn’t run into for twenty whole years, again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brief reminder I love feedback and all of you.  
> Next chapter might include Riley and Maya being cute wearing flower crowns.  
> You can contact me on tumblr as @driedclovers  
> Thanks for reading!


	2. a punk rocker with flowers in my hair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flowercrowns, Sandi Thom and dean Cory Matthews.

Maya wakes up in her new room and it’s not scary at all. What is scary is that she thinks she has a thing for Alanis Morrisette now. That’s new.

She hums to “Ironic” while she brushes her teeth. It’s as dramatic as it could be.

When she looks at her reflection in the mirror she finds a neon pink band-aid on her forehead. Stupid Farkle.

She forgives him when she finds a stack of warm pancakes on their kitchen table. 

“Farkle, I love you. Marry me.” She moans while stuffing her face with a pancake.

“I know and ew.” He replies affectionately rolling his eyes.

“Where’s Zay?” She asks intrigued. The smell of syrup floats in the air and she doesn’t get how her friend is not right there, drooling like she is.

“Sleeping.” Farkle explains, “he’s like dead in the mornings.”

“Right.” That means more pancakes for her so that’s a win-win situation. “I get this is a truce. Will you help me find Riley on the internet?” She gestures to the pancakes while asking with what she think is a sweet smile on her face.

“Yeah, sure.” Farkle nods. “After work.”

“It’s Saturday and you don’t even have a job.”

“I’m working on a new website. For Dean Matthews.” He explains. Mr. Matthews is Steinhardt’s Dean, who has an special relationship with Maya, being the one that convinced the authorities of the university that Maya was an actual artist in the making and that she deserved the chance of a high quality academic education which would make her grow as a person and a professional, and all. So, she owes him her whole life basically. Well, to him and Farkle, who sent the pleading letter to Mr. Matthews when in her senior year of high school she’d decided she wasn’t good enough for college. 

“Ohhh, fancy.”  Maya says not that surprised. Her friend is a genius after all. “Old man’s paying?”

“The university is.”

“Farkle, that’s great.” She comments, really proud of him.

“It contributes to my part of the rent. So that’s fine, I guess.” He shrugs like it’s not a big deal.

“You’ll help me find Riley after that, then?” She insists.

“Yes.” He gives up. “What’s her deal?”

“I don’t know, she ran over me with her bike. And she’s really cute.”

“I mean, is she gay?” He inquires.

“I don’t know.” She says, avoiding Farkle’s gaze.

“Maya! We already know how that ends up.” He scolds her.

“She could be gay, I don’t know. I didn’t even get to ask. I  _ will _ ask her when you find her number or last name for me.” She explains hoping he doesn’t go further. She doesn’t feel like bringing old memories of her straight exes back.

“Right.” He gives up, rolling his eyes. “You do have stuff to do, you know that, right?”

“What do you mean?” She asks confused, chewing her third pancake.

“The scholarship? You know, the one with the paperwork you have to renovate every year?”

“That’s  _ today _ ?” Maya reacts dropping her fork.

“Fridge says so.” Farkle says pointing to the fridge, which has like a thousand of sticky notes on it. One is orange and says  _ SATURDAY 20 SCHOLARSHIP PAPERWORK THINGY MAYA!! _ .

“Fuck.” She picks up their plates and places them on the sink. “You should organize that.”

“Noted.” Farkle replies while opening his laptop. “Bye.”

Maya puts on some ripped jeans and a decent t-shirt and leaves for the Administration Office on campus. It’s not as close as it was from her old dorm, but it’s not that further either. She figures the energy she got from the amount of pancakes she devoured makes up for the plus five blocks she has to walk now.

She arrives and gives her documents and all the paperwork to Hannah, the bitter secretary. She signs here and there, fills some forms and after a tedious hour she is quite done and her school year’s paperwork all fixed up. 

For all the stress bureaucracy gives her, she promises herself a smoothie as reward. She just sold one of her last paintings, so she decides her wallet can handle it.

Three steps from the office’s door she runs into Dean Matthews.

“Matthews. Long time no see. How were your vacations from us, poor stressed students?” She smiles, she likes the old man.

“Maya.” He smiles back, he won’t say it but Maya knows he likes her too. “They  _ are _ great. They still are, present tense. Which means I shouldn’t be seeing your face. Why am I seeing your face?”

“Scholarship renewal paperwork. I’m keeping my promise.Trying to not disappoint your old heart here.” She half jokes.

“Of course you are keeping it.” He smiles, patting her shoulder. “And I’m proud. I knew you could do it.”

“Thanks.” Maya shrugs trying to dismiss how much his words mean to her.

“It’s all on you. I have to go now Hart, but I’m hoping to see you in two more weeks.”

Maya salutes him smiling and heads to the door.

She’s about to detour for her beloved smoothie when she sees a tall brunette wearing a flower crown talking to people who pass by her, a block away. Her heart skips a beat when she confirms it’s Riley.

She spends too much time deliberating if approaching her would come out as a stalker move or not, and by the time she decides to leave her alone and try to find her on the internet (which isn’t less of a stalker move really), she hears a “Mayaaaa! Here!”. She can only smile and go to where Riley is standing waving her arms.

And wow, she is matching her flower crown with a lace bralette and some leather like short shorts. And wow. Not that the bright orange shorts from the day before didn’t look amazing on her, but this is a whole new level of unexpected.

“Not my style really, but it’s helping get the signatures.” Riley shrugs blushing. Maya guesses she must have caught her checking her out. Great, she’s creepy.

“No, you look great. The flower crown gives it your touch. It’s cute.” Maya admits. “Signatures?”

“Thanks.” Riley says and her smile grows bigger and bigger. Maya can’t help but smile as big. “It’s for a petition. We’re trying to get the authorities of Abigail Adams High School to look over their dress code policies. It’s been really humiliating for young girls to miss class because they are not covering their shoulders, you know? Be shamed by your own school administrators because of what you choose to wear, that’s unacceptable. That’s why the outfit, it breaks almost every rule.” Riley passionately explains. Maya thinks the brunette’s eyes are shining. She also think she is already in deep.

“That’s terrible and a quite disgusting example of abuse of power.” Maya answers, recalling her own awful experiences at high school. “Gimme.”

“You’ll sign? That’s great! Thanks, really.” Riley bubbles and hands her the sheet with all the signatures.

“Of course, it’s the least I can do.” She says as she signs. “But, why? I mean, why high school? You’ve been in uni for a while now, haven’t you?”

“My little brother’s girlfriend, Ava. She goes there, and she’s pretty fierce and all, so she got in some heated arguments with the principal about the dress code policies. And I think she’s right, so why not show her some support, you know?”

“You’re great. It’s great, what you are doing for her and every girl in that school. It’s admirable.”

“It’s not that much.” Riley denies embarrassed, fixing her flower crown. 

“It is. Let me help you, getting people to sign.” Maya grins, hoping she didn’t overstep any bounds. “If you don’t mind.”

“Are you sure?” Riley beams, and there’s no way she can say no to that smile.

“Yes, of course.” Maya nods assuring her. “Wasn’t planning on doing much anyways.”

“Yaaaaaay.” Riley squeals and it shouldn’t appear this adorable to Maya but she giggles. She’s glad Zay isn’t here, or she would never hear the end of it.

“I don’t think my clothes fit, though.” She comments looking at her old t-shirt. She guesses life doesn’t want her to impress Riley.

“You look _ fine _ .” Riley winks and Maya freezes. And there she thought _ she _ was the smug one. The brunette kneels down and starts rummaging through her yellow bag. “I happen to have the ideal touch...”

“Eh?”

“Here.” She says as she finds another flower crown and places it on Maya’s head. Its flowers are bright orange and don’t match at all with Maya’s outfit. But it’s really beautiful.

“Wow, that backpack is full of surprises. Isn’t it?” She playfully teases.

“My own Pandora’s box.” Riley grins brightly. Maya thinks Riley herself is full of universes and bright colors. She also thinks she is ready to get in some trouble because of it. “There, you look even prettier now.”

Maya feels her blood creep up to her cheeks and looks away. She can’t remember the last time someone made her blush like that.

Not used to being left speechless, Maya changes subjects and talks to Riley about the weather. She doesn’t applaud herself for that one. They make small talk and kindly approach strangers to talk them into signing the petition for what Maya already calls  _ their _ cause.

After a while, Maya’s stomach not-so-subtly growls and Riley giggles.

“Of course you’re hungry, it’s already...2 pm! Oh my god, it’s past 2pm already.” Riley finishes with shocked eyes when she looks at the time on her phone. “I was supposed to go help at Topanga’s. I completely lost track of the time.”

“Top what?” Maya asks.

“Topanga’s. A cafe, my mother owns it and I sort of work there. Sometimes. Like this time. I’m supposed to be there in ten minutes.” Riley explains worried.

“Well, we did get plenty of signatures. So it wasn’t in vain.” Maya shrugs, a bit sad Riley has to leave her.

“Of course it wasn’t in vain.” Riley assures with a big smile on her face. “It was a pleasure.”

Maya grins back and hands Riley the sheet with the signatures and her pen for her to put them back on her backpack. “Home is  _ that _ way.” Maya tells her signaling the street to their left.

“Me too.” Riley grabs her rucksack and they start walking together.

Maya lets herself admire Riley for a bit. She’s a bit weird with all her colors and glitter and kindness. Everything in amounts that should be too much, but somehow for her, just aren’t. She thinks it’s quite crazy how much she could learn from a stranger she met only twice. She learnt Riley considers herself an intersectional feminist, a Knicks’ enthusiast and a strong member of Pluto’s defense squad. And yet doesn’t think too much of herself. Maya can’t get how. She believes this girl is amazing and she wants to keep knowing bits of her.

Maya looks at the not-classic-Riley outfit, the one that doesn’t fit high school’s policies. And the white sneakers with rainbow shoelaces. And the purple flower crown. She really likes what she sees.

“What?” Riley asks looking at Maya, mirroring her dumbfounded smile.

“The flower crowns remind me of a song I loved.”

“Which one?” the brunette wonders, “Sing it.”

“No.”

“Please.” Riley insists with puppy eyes. And they almost work.

“No.” Maya bites her lower lip. Okay, the puppy eyes  _ do _ work.“It’s one by Sandi Thom. It goes something like  _ Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair.” _

“Oh, I  _ love _ that song.” Riley claps.

“Me too. Has quite the lyrics.”

“ _ When  _ _ head of state didn't play guitar, not everybody drove a car. When music really mattered and when radio was king _ _ , _ _ ”  _ Riley sings. A little off key, but her enthusiasm makes it up. Or so does Maya think. “C’mon Maya, join me. You know you want to.”

Maya rolls her eyes but sings anyway.  _ “ _ _ When accountants didn't have control, and the media couldn't buy your soul. And computers were still scary and we didn't know everything _ ”

Riley joins her and they end up singing while walking through the streets of a crowded New York. When they finish the song they are both out of breath, laughing a little too loud.

“That was really fun. You have a great voice.” Riley says.

“Thanks.” Maya smiles, still panting.

“Any time.” Riley grins, fiddling with her fingers.

“I’m this way now.” Maya says, her head gesturing to the right when they get to a corner **.**

“I’m the other.” Riley gestures to the left. “You could, like, come visit Topanga’s sometime. I’ll get you the best chocolate cookies. On the house.”

“Yeah, I’d really love that.”

“I could give you my number, so I’ll let you know when I’m there, since I don’t really have fixed shifts.” Riley starts rambling.

“Sure.” Maya eagerly nods and gives Riley her phone. She saves her number as  _ Riles :) _ and texts herself.

“There,” Riley says handing Maya her phone “that’s a cute picture.”

“My best friends,” She shrugs smiling. Her background is a bizarre picture of Maya trying to push a shopping cart that contains both Zay and Farkle. “and newly roommates.”

Riley smiles. “Well, I really gotta go now. Gotta cover my uncle’s shift at the cafe.”

“Go! Don’t be late!” Maya salutes her. Salutes her? She’s not on her element, clearly. “Wait, your flower crown.”

“Thanks, for all the help and everything. And keep it, as a thank you present.”

“No, Riles, I couldn’t.” And she feels silly letting the nickname escape her lips. Riley doesn’t even flinch.

“It looks way better on you. I’m serious.” She smirks and Maya shakes her head. “See ya!” Riley waves after kissing her cheek and leaving her speechless once again. 

 

Maya enters her apartment and lets out a loud happy sigh. Farkle frowns at her from their couch. He clicks on something on his laptop and his expression contorts to one similar to the Cheshire Cat’s smile.

“Maya you won’t believe this! The girl, Riley, she is-”

“Amazing. And I got her number.” She sighs again, inspecting the flower crown.

“Dean Matthews’ daughter.” Farkle deadpans.

“What?” Maya snaps back to reality.

“Yeah, look!” Her friend excitedly says while showing his laptop’s screen to her. Apparently it’s Riley’s facebook. And as Farkle clicks on her cover photo, she can see Dean Matthews, a pretty woman, a curly haired teenage boy and Riley all doing silly faces at the camera.

“Oh my God.”

“Epigraph: heart emoji family heart emoji.” Farkle keeps going.

“Is she five years old?” A barely woken up Zay interjects with a toothbrush on his mouth.

“Oh. My. God.” Maya repeats shocked, slowly taking seat on the couch, Riley’s flower crown still in her hands. “I like the dean’s daughter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I hope you enjoyed this one.  
> Chapter's title is from "I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker" by Sandi Thom.  
> I'm thinking of writing the letter Farkle sent to Cory, would you like that?  
> Comments, kudos and criticism are welcomed with a hug.  
> You can talk to me at driedclovers.tumblr.com  
> Thanks and have a nice day!


	3. anything can happen when you take a chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet Brew Crew Café, Purple The Cat and High School Musical.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello you guys!  
> The feedback's been so great so far, your comments make me glow. Since I won't be home this weekend and because of all your lovely words, I've decided to upload today instead of Monday.  
> Little disclaimer: Chapter's title belongs to High School Musical which belongs to Disney. Who also, sadly for me, owns GMW.  
> Enjoy!

“Again, tell me why you won’t text this girl.” Zay says as he wipes the counter. Maya opens her mouth only to be interrupted by her friend. “Make it reasonable this time.”

“She can’t. She’s not reasonable.” Farkle casually says while reading a book on his usual spot on the armchair. It’s Monday’s afternoon, so the trio is hanging out at the café Zay works at. Brew Crew Café. The name is terrible, the coffee mediocre, but the sofas are comfortable enough and sometimes food is on Zay, so eventually it became part of both Maya and Farkle’s routines.

Maya glares at Farkle. “It’s too soon.”

“It’s not.” Zay argues. “You saw her on Saturday. That was two days ago. And that’s not too soon.”

“It is. I don’t wanna be that accessible. I have a reputation to maintain.” She lies inspecting the banana bread. Her stomach is growling, the beast has to be fed.

Farkle quizzically raises an eyebrow, eyes still on his book.

Zay sighs. “You’re Maya Hart, you flirt with hot people and casually have sex with them. There’s no playing hard to get in that equation, right?”

Maya pretends to be hurt, but that’s an accurate description of her “love” life, the one she wouldn’t usually complain about. Something about this time is different. Something about Riley is different. Well, maybe everything about her is different. Unique. She groans and tries to explain herself.“There is me messing up the whole thing in that equation. I don’t want to mess things up with Riley, I really like her. She’s... genuine.” She says looking at the muffins and thinking about Riley and the cafe she told her she works at. Maybe she  _ could _ text her and try not to mess up stuff with her.

“That’s a new word on your vocabulary.” Farkle observes, finally closing his South American history book (who the hell has the time for that?) and placing it on the coffee table in front of him. “You know you won’t have the chance to mess up anything if you don’t text her, because you won’t actually get to do  _ anything at all _ with her.”

“I know.” Maya admits, deciding for a giant chocolate cookie and taking place next to Farkle on the couch. Riley promised her chocolate cookies. “She did say  _ she _ would text  _ me _ .”

“Text her.” Zay deadpans before turning around to actually take care of a customer. Brew Crew hasn’t that much of an actual crew. Despite the three of them, who might be the clients of the year, the cafe doesn’t have a regular clientele. Maya considers it’s really weird they still open everyday. She shrugs it off when Farkle’s voice brings her back to reality.

“Does this have something to do with her being Matthews’ daughter?” He inquires.

“No. Yes. Maybe?” Maya says before taking a bite from the cookie. “She’s so pretty. And incredibly nice.” She sighs dramatically.

“You’re pining. Without reason.” Farkle states faking annoyance. “Just talk to her. Ask her out.”

“I don’t even know if she’s gay.” Maya admits, sighing again, waiting for Farkle to reprimand her.

“ _ She _ gave you her number, right?” Farkle asks, to what Maya nods, a bit surprised he didn’t let out his overprotective side. “She also wears a glittery helmet to ride a bike  _ and _ she spent her Saturday morning collecting signs for the benefit of high school girls.”

“Care to elaborate?” Maya frowns feeling a bit offended. The helmet thing is reasonable, and the petition idea is admirable. 

“No one our age does that kind of stuff. She does seem, like you said,  _ genuine _ . Not the kind of person that would lead you on if she didn’t like you.”

What Farkle says actually makes sense, but still not enough to push Maya to text Riley.

“Thing is, she also seems really innocent. Maybe she just wants to be friends, and she didn’t, like, realize my intentions.”

“You smile like a fool just talking about her, anyone could see through that. I’m pretty sure you are too transparent for her not to notice.”

Maya frowns again. “I’m not that-”

“Well, I think it’s quite sad for a place that seems so cool to have such backward policies.” A feminine voice interrupts Maya from the counter. A girl seems to be having some kind of discussion with Zay. “I guess it’s not that cool after all.”

The familiarity of the voice suddenly strikes Maya. But it’s not until Farkle, who has a better view of the counter, smugly smiles at her that she dares to turn around.

“Listen, if it was for me I’d let you and the kitty in, but my manager’s the douche and I can’t do anything about it if I intend to keep my job. And believe me, I need it.” She hears Zay reply. She can’t believe what she sees.

“That’s a good point. I’m sorry.” Riley apologizes to Zay, patting the grey cat on her arms, still not aware of Maya’s gaze on her. “You do look familiar, though.”

“Riley?” Maya stands from couch.

The tall brunette turns around and a big smile appears on her face. “Maya?”

“Hi.” Maya smiles.

“Hey.”

“So this is  _ the _ Riley?” Zay says with a self-satisfied smile, looking between the two girls. The jerk.

Maya fumes and glares at Zay. If she had the power she thinks she would have already killed him with her eyes. And Farkle, who she sees wiggling his eyebrows from the corner of her eyes.

Riley just giggles and holds out a hand to Zay. “Yeah. Riley Matthews, pleasure to meet you.”

Zay grabs her hand and shakes it. “Zay, little one’s roommate and best friend.” He explains gesturing to Maya, earning a loud laugh from Riley and a middle finger from Maya.

“The one with the cool sunglasses on the shopping cart.” The brunette nods understanding the source of the familiarity. “From the background. On Maya’s phone.”

“Pleasure is all mine.” He smiles back content.

“And I’m Farkle. The other one in the shopping cart.” Maya turns to see her other friend now standing up next to her, holding his hand to Riley.

“Oh hi! That’s a cool name.” She happily shakes Farkle’s hand, no sarcasm on her voice. Farkle visibly smiles at that, which Maya counts as an approval.

“Thanks.” He says in return. “Nice to  _ finally  _ meet you, Riley.”

“He doesn’t mean that.” Maya interjects, frowning accusingly to her best friends. The last thing she needs is for them to behave like her mom. It can’t get more embarrassing.

“I really do. Maya was just talking about texting you.” Farkle goes on.

Maya’s eyes grow huge and she mentally buries herself. Maybe she was wrong after all. It can always get more embarrassing.

“Were you?” Riley asks, her big brown eyes now fully on Maya. And she realizes how dangerous her inability to say no to those eyes could be.

“Well, yeah.” Maya grins, trying not to look like a moron in front of Riley. “But now you are here. What brings you here by the way?”

“I was just taking Purple out for a walk. But she got really tired and would just sit on the ground and not move. So I was just looking for a place to rest for a while and maybe eat something before heading back home.”

Maya almost isn’t surprised.

“You walk your cat?” Zay asks scandalized **,** giving her a strange look. 

“She likes it and it’s actually good for her.” Riley states nodding.

“Do you use a leash?” Farkle questions, his brows furrowed, a signal he is trying to understand.

“Of course  _ not _ .” Riley replies giggling and waves it off like  _ that _ is the weirdest idea. “We just walk together.”

The boys frown at her and Maya gives them a hard look before turning back to Riley with softer eyes. She feels the need to protect the girl and make her happy. If walking her cat does, who is she to judge? “I think that’s great. You both exercise and enjoy the summer weather.”

Farkle laughs at her and goes back to his seat and stupid book.

Riley keeps smiling at her and Maya is glad she is responsible for that glowing expression on her face. One she is pretty sure she is mimicking but doesn’t really care about. She wonders how stupid she has to be to ruin whatever this feeling is and considers asking Riley out right then. But of course, Zay ruins her moment.

“Girls, as cute as you both look staring at each other, heart eyes and everything, I still have to ask you to go outside.” Zay says gesturing the cat on Riley’s arm, which is watching everything attentively. “My boss  _ will _ fire me if she has to.”

“Oh, Purple, right.” Riley realizes, disappointment on her voice. She still eyes her cat with a small smile on her face. “Yeah, I’m sorry Zay.”

“I’ll go with you. Outside.” Maya says a little too fast. Definitely, these spontaneous reactions aren’t her thing. “I mean, it’s a suggestion. I-”

“I’d like that.” Riley chirped, the smile on her face growing. “Nice to meet you, boys!”

Maya heads to the door and holds it open for Riley. She barely looks back to find the boys doing suggestive faces at them. Before shutting the door and leaving the cafe, she flips them off with a grin plastered on her face.

 

“So, enjoying the last days of freedom?” Maya breaks the silence as they walk.

“Well, yeah.” Riley answers, a bit unsure. “I miss school, though. I get all jittery when I have so much free time. That’s why I make a list, before summer starts. Of all the things I want to do, I get all creative, which you might have realized isn’t too hard for me. I’m sorry, you don’t want to know about that.”

Maya frowns and tries to reassure a now nervous Riley. “No, I do. And I’m sorry. Anxiety is a bitch. The list seems like a great way of coping with it.” She thinks about the Saturday morning they spent together and feels proud of her. “You fight it, doing admirable stuff with your time. I think that’s beautiful.”

The brunette blushes and looks down to her moving feet. “There’s nothing on me to admire.” Maya rolls her eyes but doesn’t go further. “It’s hard, but doing stuff on the list helps when I get too deep in Rileytown.” And she says that last word kind of spitting it, clearly not the first time she uses it with a bad connotation.

“Don’t be that hard on yourself.” 

Maya gestures to a bench they come across and Riley nods.They end up sitting closer than she would have expected, which makes her skin tingle.

“I don’t know. Sometimes too many thoughts come across.” Riley explains.

“It’s hard. I know.” She quietly says fixating on those big brown sorrowful eyes. She feels guilty she doesn’t know exactly what to say. Riley’s expression is a really sad and delicate one, like she is about to break into a thousand pieces and Maya doesn’t like it at all. She thinks all she has come to know about Riley is beautiful and she wants Riley to acknowledge that, too. She thinks she deserves it.

Maya starts feeling something warm on her belly, besides the guilt of not being able to do much about Riley’s anxiety. She looks down to realize it’s Purple, who purs while testing her lap before sitting on it. Maya delicately pats its grey fur as Purple closes its eyes and relaxes on top of her.

“She likes you. And she doesn’t like a lot of people.” Riley changes subject, giving her a small smile. “She bit Lucas, my friend who is also her lifetime vet. Twice.”

“I’ll take that as a victory then.” Maya smirks.

Riley nods as she reaches her hand to Maya’s lap and pats her cat. “And you should.” 

“Hey, Riley?”

“Yeah?”

“As far as I’ve come to know you, which I know it might not be that much, I think Rileytown is great.” Maya swallows, waiting for Riley’s reply. Hoping she didn’t overstep their trust or hurt her.

After the longest 30 seconds of Maya’s life, Riley looks up, mouth agape. She blinks twice but doesn’t say a word. Maya hopes that reaction isn’t a negative one.

“And if you’d let me,” She goes on. “I’d really like to get to know you better.”

Riley’s eyes shine and her shocked mouth turns into a small but truthful smile. She nods and her eyes don’t leave Maya’s. And Maya can’t help but notice how close their hands are on Purple’s tummy, or how close their bodies feel, sitting right next to each other. But it’s when she sees the dimples on her cheeks and her crinkled eyes, that her stomach flips and she feels the veins on her wrists expand. She breathes, counts to five and decides to go for it. She leans in a bit, getting their heads closer and starts to close her eyes.

_ Living in my own world, didn't understand that anything can happen- _

Maya snaps her eyes open, startled at the music playing and sees a sighing Riley with her eyes shut in resignation, her body now a lot further from Maya’s.

“I’m sorry.” Riley apologizes.

“That’s quite the ringtone.”

Riley rolls her eyes, traces of embarrassment now leaving her face as she grabs her phone from a hidden pocket on her flowered skirt.

Maya laughs loudly at the song still playing.  _ I never believed in, what I couldn't see- _

“Hey,” Riley picks up, faking disapproval at Maya’s laugh. Her beaming smile giving her away. “No?” She answers slightly offended to the person on the other side of the line. “Look through the third drawer. Yes, _your_ drawer. Told ya’. It’s okay, love you too.” She hangs up and shakes her head.

Maya raises her eyebrows intrigued.

“Sorry. An emergency. My brother thought  _ I _ stole his purple suspenders.” She explains, feeling a bit insulted. Maya raises an eyebrow giving her a knowing look, pretty sure it can’t be the first time Riley stole something as ridiculous as purple suspenders from her younger brother.  “I swear I didn’t.” Riley defends herself. After two seconds a huge grin breaks her fake offended expression. “Not this time.”

They laugh together at the whole situation. Maya finds her tummy aching from the loud laughter and tries to calm down and breathe. Neither of them says a thing, as they look at each other in silence once again. A minute passes by and Maya has to break it before she says something stupid like  _ please go out with me _ or  _ be my muse _ . 

“I do think you should have gone for one by Sharpay. _ Fabulous _ is a classic.” 

The joke lingers in the air until Riley chuckles, trying to control herself from more laughing. “You know what? I never really liked Sharpay. I have to admit that.”

“What?” Maya asks surprised.  _ Everyone _ likes Sharpay, she’s a classic. Best character in the movie, if you ask her. “You liked  _ Gabriella _ ?”

“Sharpay was unnecessarily mean. And I felt sort of identified with Gabriella.”

“First, Sharpay was highly misunderstood.” She argues earning a playing frown from Riley. “Secondly, Gabriella, really? Did you like the dumb, good looking and overrated jock of your class, too?”

“Nope. I just deeply loved Maths  _ and _ singing. I suck at both, sadly.” Riley accepts. “Although, I was in love with Sharpay’s outfits. Glitter and pink? My preteen self drooled at that.”

Maya smiles knowingly. There’s no way Riley stopped having a thing for glitter. She really likes that of her.

“Troy was quite a dumbass.” A reflexive Riley lets out.

“He was. Telling the Wildcats he didn’t care about Gabriella or singing? What a prick.”

“Yeah!” Riley says loudly, startling Purple who from Maya’s lap, throws her owner a look that she could have swore was a glare. “I bet he wasn’t even that good at basketball.”

“I’m sure he wasn’t.”

After some more passionate discussion of High School Musical’s characters, Riley and Maya leave the bench they’ve been sitting on for more than an hour. Maya offers to walk Riley and an sleepy Purple home, and the brunette gladly accepts. They keep talking about the movies they saw, the music they listened and the schools they attended when they were younger. When they get to Riley’s building’s door, they stare at the sky which is quite dark now. Maya regrets not taking her hoodie when she left the cafe, an early night wind being the cause of the goosebumps on her arms. 

“I was serious. About how I like Rileytown so far.” Maya tries, her cold and nervous fingers on her jeans pockets.

She looks up and sees Riley give her a quiet smile.“Hope I don’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t.” Maya smiles back.

Riley pecks her cheek for the third time since they met and Maya feels the blood run faster on her body. 

“Maya? Text me, alright?” She says, the hand that isn’t holding her cat, on her doorknob.

“I will.” Maya promises and sees a still grinning Riley disappear behind the black door.

 

While they are having dinner, Maya tells both of her friends about her afternoon and she beams while she does it. Normally, she would hold that to the roasted chicken on her plate, but the three of them know she can’t talk about Riley without dreamy eyes.

“ _ And, _ I walked her home.” She finishes.

“You kissed that girl’s face, didn’t you?” Zay inquires, wiggling his eyebrows. They really have to stop that.

“No.” Maya answers confused. How come she didn’t kiss Riley? It was a solid chance, after the missed one because of Riley’s phone going off.

“Did you see dean Matthews?” Farkle asks fortunately interrupting her line of dramatic thoughts.

“No. Ew, that would’ve been awkward. She doesn’t live with him anyways.” She explains.

“You  _ do _ like his daughter.” He states going for another serving of chicken.

“I do.” Maya nods thinking about their talk about what Riley contemptuously called Rileytown. Maya wasn't lying when she told her she likes what she sees. She only hopes she gets to see more and more of her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you really really liked it!  
> It's so fun so write these lovely lovely people. As you may have noticed, we saw a little more of Riley on this chapter, a more grown up and maybe even sadder Riley. By writing her like this, I'm trying to make her more realistic. And I think these issues make sense on her. This fic won't be lead by Riley's possible anxiety, but I think it's quite healthy to visualize this kind of stuff, and that not even Queen Riley has a perfect life. Also, understand that (my idea of)Riley doesn't just go around telling people this stuff, but just as Maya trusts her, Riley trusts Maya too.  
> If you have any issue with this or some other stuff you can talk to me at my tumblr: @driedclovers  
> Feedback is always appreciated (and remember it makes me do stuff like upload faster so...), have a nice week, love you all. <3


	4. you send my soul sky high

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet Wham!, Lucas and THE Bay Window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been soooooo long. University is a bitch when you care about your grades.  
> Chapter's title is part of the lyrics of "Wake me up before you go-go" the hit and MY jam, by Wham!  
> Anyways, this chapter is longer than usual and that's why it took me so long. And I might have gone through it a thousand of times, too.  
> I hope you enjoy!

 

 

 

Maya is on an inspiration high when she realizes she’s almost completely out of supplies. For the last two days she couldn’t help but paint. She has been eating, sleeping and painting. And that’s all. 

Okay, and she’s been texting Riley too. And, yeah, that might or might not be the source of her inspiration. She looks at the three canvases drying on her bedroom’s floor and tries not to judge herself that much. Which turns out to be a bit difficult since she is aware the three canvases picture glimpses of a face that resembles Riley’s a bit too much. There’s a turquoise glittery helmet above a big brown pair of eyes, a rosy cheek next to flower earrings and a delicate hand holding a purple flower crown. So yeah, it’s _that_ obvious.

Anyways, images, palettes and inspiration keep appearing on Maya’s head. She really needs to get more supplies, thing she was supposed to do last Friday. Exactly the day Riley ran her over with her bike, so she doesn’t complain much.

She shrugs at her reflection on the mirror when she sees all the old and new paint stains on her jean overalls.  _ It’s just a store, it’ll do _ she figures. She puts some shoes on and leaves her room locking the door. The boys walking in to her Riley inspired art is not a thing she wants to happen. She knows she won’t hear the end of it if they saw the canvases.

“What are you hiding there, young lady?” Farkle asks from the kitchen table, startling her.

“Nothing, mum!” Maya mocks trying to avoid the question. “You organized the sticky notes, they look nice!” 

It’s an excuse, but they do look nice. He placed them in three columns, one for each person living in the house. Each column of notes has also a magnet with the initial of the person whom the notes belong to on top. It’s neat and considerate, it’s Farkle-ish.

“You’d have noticed  _ yesterday, _ if you had left your room.” Zay complains.

“Missed me?” Maya playfully bats her eyelashes, dodging the insinuation once again. “I’m leaving now anyways.”

“Are you seeing Riley?” Farkle bugs. Right on the spot.

“That girl’s a strange bird, I have to say.” Zay interjects with his brows furrowed, probably recalling Monday’s events.

And  _ what _ ? “No, she’s not.” Maya argues back, a little more hurt than she intended.

“She  _ is _ a special one. But I like her, she’s really nice.” Farkle says smiling from his book.

“You’re only saying that because she didn’t laugh at your stupid name like everyone else does.” Her other friend claims.

“Okay?” Maya tries to dismiss the boys and how offended she felt about Zay’s comment. Riley isn’t strange. Well she is, but not in a bad way. She’d like to think of her as unique. She believes that’s a more suiting adjective for the brunette. “And I’m not seeing her, I’m just going to get more supplies.”

“Was about time.” Farkle says, pointing at one of the notes on her column on the fridge.  _ get more supplies SOON  _ it reads.

Maya ignores him and grabs the note and her keys. She leaves the apartment saluting both of her friends who are now having a discussion about the level of whiteness of Farkle’s name. Ugh, boys.

 

She’s on her way to the usual store when her phone vibrates on her pocket.

_ (14:34) are u gonna show me ur art or what? _

Maya smiles at her phone’s screen. Riley and her have been texting back and forth since Monday’s evening. It’s been so great so far, lot of jokes, youtube videos and cute random comments included. But not a single sign of plans to hang out. Maya finds this unsettling but eventually forgets about the constant disappointment.

Minutes pass by until she remembers she has to answer, even if she has no plans of letting Riley see her art which is about her. That would be reaching a new level of creepy. 

_ what _ she types back.

_ (14:43) u r not funny _ . Her instant response is accompanied with at least ten angry emoticons, which she doesn’t buy even for a second.

Maya walks into the store and roams the different aisles holding a basket. She stops when she gets to the acrylics and gets everything she needs.

_ (14:49) i am. some other day maybe. its not a big deal tho. _

_ (14:50) its UR art of course its a big deal u silly _

Blushing and all, she is about to text back when she hears a voice. And how not to? The voice is singing too loud and too out of tune. Maya doesn’t get how  _ everyone _ at the store isn’t hearing it.

_ But something's bugging me, something ain't right _

She stops walking. She knows that voice. Oh, of course she does.

_ Left me sleeping, in my bed. I was dreaming but I should've been with you instead. _

Damn, she’s just been about to text  _ the voice  _ back.

Maya tiptoes her way to the end of the aisle, as the voice gets closer and louder.

_ Wake me up before you go go, don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo. _

She spies the aisle next to the one she was and sees Riley of all people, wearing a pair of huge and orange headphones. While she sings, if one can call  _ that _ singing, she’s holding four different kinds of wooden frames. And dancing. Everything at the same time. 

In the meanwhile, Maya is of course, staring. She should feel a bit embarrassed, of how easy is for her to stop on her tracks when she looks at Riley, but she excuses herself because it  _ is _ quite a show. She’s just lucky Riley is still unaware of her presence and doesn’t stop dancing.

She’s all long limbs and carefree moves. Seeing her this happy, this free, makes Maya happy. In some other circumstances, she might have crossed out those last feely thoughts, tagged them as stupid or inappropriate. Now she just lets herself be.

_ Wake me up before you go go, I don't want to miss it when you hit that hiiiii- _

And it’s that moment, when Riley “hits” the high note, that she twirls and sees Maya. And responses grinning widely, and then the wooden frames escape her hands and go flying.

Just in time, Maya ducks avoiding the frames and mentally high fives her survival reflexes. She tries to contain her laugh as she looks up and sees Riley, whose eyes are as big as a plate.

“I’m  _ so _ sorry!” She says, panic all over her features.

Maya’s laugh escapes so loudly she almost falls to the floor because of it. Hands covering her mouth, not wanting Riley to think she’s laughing at her, Maya looks up only to find a now smiling and more relaxed Riley picking up the frames that are scattered all over the floor.

Maya picks up the one that’s near her and gives it to the brunette. Their hands brush when she grabs it, and Maya suddenly stops laughing. Stops everything.

“I’m really sorry,” Riley repeats concerned, bringing Maya back to Earth. “I could’ve hurt you.”

“It’s okay, you were into a great song. Your weird but  _ great  _ musical taste might be the reason I keep forgiving you for almost killing me.”

“Let’s hope it’s not the only one.” Riley says cheekily. Maya’s taken aback by the comment but tries to hide her surprise smiling smugly.

“What brings you here?” Riley asks her breaking the silence.

“Just came to get more supplies, you know, to paint.” She explains gesturing to her basket which is full of colourful paint.

“Uh, right.” Riley smiles embarrassed and Maya notices the shade of pink on her rounded cheeks. “We’re at an art supply store, and you’re an artist. It’s kind of obvious, isn’t it?”

Maya shrugs. “What brings  _ you _ here?”

“I’m redecorating my bay window.” The taller girl states, smiling bigger at Maya’s questioning look. “Yes, I have a bay window. And I wanted to do something to it, I dunno, more artsy? But I definitely don’t understand a thing about art. Or decoration, since I’m looking at…” She rambles, looking around her and lastly at her hands. And Maya can’t help but smile at her. How can someone be so...so Riley? “Frames. Yeah, I might do this another week.”

“No!” Maya says a little too fast, at the sight of Riley’s now defeated expression. “I mean, you should do it today. I could, like, help you? Get the stuff? I’m no decorator but I know a thing or two about  _ artsy _ stuff. If you want, of course.” She tries. And yeah, by now, she’s quite aware of the mess she turns into when she’s around Riley. There’s no use in being careful, so she just goes with it.

“You  _ would _ ?” Riley asks excitedly, a grin so huge it looks like it’s about to split her face in two. Maya basically forgets how to talk, so she nods.

“Well, yeah. I volunteered, didn’t I?”

Riley looks like is about to scream or jump or something but she grabs Maya’s hand instead. “Let’s go.”

Maya swallows and tries to concentrate on colour palettes, patterns and possible decoration that make sense with the window in the picture Riley showed her on her phone. She still fails to not notice how Riley intertwines their fingers as she leads her through the whole store. She suggests brainstorming in an attempt to advert her mind from her sweaty hand.

Fascinated by Maya’s ideas and more of her own, Riley ends up buying  _ a lot _ of stuff. From paint for the window frames, to crepe paper and of course, glitter fabric paint.

They eventually let go each other’s hand to carry their purchases. Even full of bags, Maya’s hand feels empty all of sudden, and she has to tell herself not to reach for the brunette’s hand. 

By the time they get to the shop’s door, she’s giving herself an intern monologue on why it’d be weird and rude if she kissed Riley right then. Her arguments are weak. Her face falls down when she realizes she actually has to let her go and say goodbye.

Riley’s faster though. “Would you like to come help me? I could really use some help with crafts.” She timidly suggests, swaying the bags she’s carrying. “You don’t have to. But I could pay you with lemonade and cookies.”

Maya’s smile comes back to her face as she nods. “I’d love to.”

Her hands keep sweating as Riley guides the way to her apartment. And it’s not like she’s having a bad time or anything because she enjoys every second she spends with her. So she ignores the  _ you’re nervous because you really like her you dumbass _ train of thoughts, and blames it on the heavy bags and the late summer heat.

They get to an old red brick building when Riley has to balance the bags in one hand in order to get her keys. Keys which have a stuffed badger keychain. They little toy even has a black and yellow scarf around its neck. It’s kind of adorable.

“I don’t get how, but you still surprise me every time.” Maya says as Riley fumbles with the bags as she tries to open the front door of the building.

The brunette opens the door for her and raises her eyebrows cheekily. “Still hope I manage to do it every time.”

“I have a feeling you will succeed at that.” Maya smirks following Riley to the elevator.

“Big fan of surprises yourself?”

She tries to shrug nonchalantly as they get to the door of Riley’s apartment. “Dunno, big fan of _your_ surprises so far.” And with that she can feel her cheeks burning at the bluntness of her own comment. Riley giggles but says nothing.

The space between them gets smaller, and the air hotter and Maya thinks she’s going to spontaneously combust right there. That or maybe she will senseless kiss Riley, you know, if she’d let her.

And just when Maya leans closer and cheekily rests her elbow on the door, said door opens. Of course, Maya falls ungracefully to the floor.

“Lucas!” Riley scolds someone as she helps Maya get up. And oh, the door was opened _by someone_. Someone who was inside Riley’s apartment. A boy. A man. Apparently, a Lucas.

It turns out this Lucas man is attractive. Not Maya’s type with the blonde hair and the too-good-to-be-true smile, but good to the eyes after all.

Maybe he is  _ Riley’s _ type, Maya wonders and she tries to shrug off how that thought stings. But then Riley’s leading her into  _ their _ home and Lucas is there all confident, because of course, it’s his apartment too. The apartment they both share. Which they call  _ theirs. _

And Maya shouldn’t feel as upset as she actually does, because she met Riley like what? Four times? And it’s not even like she likelikes her, right? She’s not upset Riley has a boyfriend or that she lives with him. It’s just that she really thought she was flirting back and she had hoped the mushy-gushy feeling was something around mutual.

But then again, she’s Maya Hart and life has never been happiness and rainbows for her. So she shouldn’t be this shocked. This is what happens when you let hope in, you crash.

Maya snaps out of reality and sees a visibly concerned Riley looking at her, sitting next to her on he- _ their _ couch. Maya gives her a small smile, because Riley doesn’t deserve her unfair stupidity and also a little because she’s so pretty it’s hard not to.

“I’m okay, I swear.” Maya nods.

“She’s always about to get hurt when she’s near me. I think it’s me.” Riley tells Lucas, who smiles at her. And really, how can a smile be so white?

“It’s not your fault.” Maya reassures her. And she has to stop herself from reaching out to grab Riley’s hand. Mixed signals won’t make this easier.

“I’m Lucas.” The young man says extending a hand for Maya to shake. “Been with Riley since high school, I’m pretty sure it was always her fault.” After a few seconds, she grabs it.

“Hey!” Riley complains, hitting his shoulder playfully. “She’s Maya, she’s my new friend,” And the word  _ friend _ shouldn’t make her feel anything. But then again it might be nausea from looking at Lucas. “she’s not a dumbass like someone I know and she will help me redecorate the bay window. Cause she’s an artist.”

Riley smiles really bright and proud, and Maya’s insides flip. Meanwhile, Lucas remains unfaced.

“That’s me.” As Maya replies, she feels something on her side to then notice it’s Purple. Riley’s cat seems to remember her as it climbs up to Maya’s lap. She pets its head and it loudly purs.

“Oh, and Purple loves her, too.” Riley says, trying to prove a point.

To this Lucas does respond, feeling a bit insulted. “What? How? She still won’t like me.”

“He’s her lifetime vet. But she will still barely let him touch her.” Riley laughs ignoring him.

Lucas rolls his eyes and leaves the living room. Maya still guiltily considers it a win and keeps petting Purple.

“Come, let’s get started.” Riley says as grabs Maya’s hand and leads her to the bay window on the bedroom.

Riley’s room is- well, very Riley. The walls are beige but everything else is colours. There are pictures everywhere. Some of Purple, and some of her with different people. With dean Matthews, Riley’s brother, a variety of people their age, and Lucas. There aren’t pictures of them exactly kissing, or in a romantic pose. But there are just  _ so many pictures _ of them together. Some old, showing a young and visibly dorkier Riley and some more recent, even one of them  _ slaying _ in formal outfits. They look really hot and happy together. And nobody taught Maya how to deal with so many mixed feelings.

“I’m sorry everything’s a mess.” Riley says while crouching to pick up the clothes scattered all over the floor. “I wasn’t exactly expecting visits.”

“It’s okay, really.” Maya’s attention is still on Riley’s bedroom, but now on the bay window. It’s really beautiful. Its sight overlooks a fire escape surrounded by flowers. On the inside, there’s a seat that looks really comfortable and plenty of purple pillows. It’s a really cute place, she can imagine Riley laying there reading a book or singing out loud to the outside. She hears a sigh and finds Riley staring at the bay window as well, and she can see in her eyes it means a lot to her.

“We don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to.” Maya says, immediately regretting how that came out. 

Riley gives her an amused smile and shrugs. “No, changes are fun.”

“As you say, m’lady.” Maya jokes and starts helping her clear out the bay window.

 

Following some Pinterest’s tutorials they make paper crepe garlands and Riley teaches Maya how to make papercranes. In return, Maya designs mandalas for her to paint with glitter for some new pillowcases. Maya tells Riley about the time she got one of her high school teachers drunk by pouring vodka on her morning coffee and Riley shows Maya faceless Barry, the teddy bear and tells her the story behind it. After some more childhood anecdote exchanging, Riley plays Hairspray’s soundtrack on her phone and Maya tries not to sing along to every song.

 

“Hey! Next is  _ You Can’t Stop the Beat _ , that’s my favourite.” Maya complains.

“And you tried to make me believe you didn’t like the movie.”

“But the songs are  _ so _ catchy!”

“And your point is?” Riley asks raising an eyebrow.

Maya feels weak but knows flirting won’t get her anywhere, so she changes subject. “What are we gonna do with the paint?”

“I was about to tell you about that. Would you like to paint the window?” She suggests, huge puppy eyes and all.

“What? The window?!” Maya exclaims.

“Like the frames of it? I’ll bring cookies.” Riley places a hand over hers giving her a small smile. Maya tries super hard not to look too far into it or fall into it. She fails hard.

“Alright, yeah. But bring those cookies.” She tells Riley.“And press play on that goddamn jam.”

“Oh, no. You won’t jam without me.” The brunette says leaving the room.

Maya laughs and starts preparing the paint.

 

She ends up painting colourful mandalas all over the window’s frame as Riley helps. Well, she chooses the music and suggests colours, but Maya, for once, loves the company while painting.

When she finishes, she tells Riley not to hang the curtains until the next day. She turns around to find a shocked Riley, open mouthed and everything. As Maya tries not to stare at her or her somehow paint stained cheek, her eyes go back to the window. Maybe Riley doesn’t like it. Maybe she’s about to tell Maya to leave.

“I love it!” Riley says, or more like screeches. “Thank you Maya, it’s perfect. It’s more than perfect! I should be crying, am I crying?” And then she tightly hugs Maya.

Maya’s evil side tells her to enjoy this chance, since she might not get any closer to her but she’s still frozen.

After a few seconds she feels herself melt into the hug and lets her evil side enjoy.

“I should go.” A guilty Maya says into the hug. She shouldn’t be enjoying this much the hug of a not-single and probably straight girl.

“Why?” Riley pouts. And really? That’s not fair!

“I dunno. It’s late?” And it sounds like she’s making an excuse. Because she clearly is.

Riley lets Maya go, and she looks at the time on the her phone. “Oh, it is.” She deflates.“Sorry I kept you for so long.”

“No, don’t be.” Maya quickly corrects her. “I had the greatest time. I swear.”

“Me too.” She smiles.“Thank you. For coming and helping and being so talented.”

Maya blushes. “Thank  _ you _ for having me. Cookies were awesome.”

“I can always bake you more.”

“That’d be rad.” Maya says even though she knows she shouldn’t. Guilt comes back and punches her in the gut. She knows she doesn’t deserve this, she has had enough lows on her life. _ Riley _ doesn’t deserve this, she wants to be Maya’s friend and Maya can only think about kissing and touching and that gorgeous gorgeous girl. She’s an asshole and she might deserve the pain. But Riley doesn’t. She grabs her hoodie and bags and heads to the bedroom’s door.

“I’ll walk you.” 

Maya nods and guiltily lets herself enjoy Riley for some more minutes.

When they go out of the bedroom they find Lucas on the couch surrounded by textbooks. He smiles at them. Life hates Maya.

“Oh, Riles. Josh called, said he won’t make it for dinner. Something about disturbs on the E.R.”

“Ugh, that means there’s just us.” Riley wrinkling her nose. “My uncle is bailing on me for the second time this week.” She explains to Maya, who wants to throw up all over their living room. She hates Lucas, and how used he is to this. To Riley. To Riley’s family. If Riley weren’t here or the guy didn’t seem so nice she would probably punch him. Right on his supermodel face. Stupid handsome Lucas.

She says goodbye politely. Well, she tries to and mostly fails.

Riley escorts her downstairs. By the time they get to the front door, Maya’s already on the worst mood. The smile Riley gives her as she opens the door, melts most of it, though.

“Thanks, really. You’re welcome anytime.”

“Thanks to you.” Maya says and rapidly kisses Riley’s cheek. She didn’t need another post-kiss-shocked moment, she manages to look stupid enough in front of Riley without it.

“Text me when you get home.” Riley says and waves at her.

 

Maya gets home and doesn’t text Riley. She does collapse on the couch and buries her face on a pillow that smells like cheese.

Unsurprisingly, she manages to feel trashier.

“That has to be your longest shop session.” Zay says while munching on some kind of food.

Maya growls from the pillow.

Her phone buzzes and she picks it up and finds a text from Riley.

_ (19:46) got home okay? _

She goes back to the pillow and growls once again.

“What’s wrong, lil’ ferret?” Her asshole of a friend asks sitting next to her, voice sugarcoated, hands patting her back. 

She throws away the pillow and almost breaks a lamp.

“Okay.” Zay says, drawing his hand out from her, clearly intimidated.

“She has a boyfriend. A nice one.” Maya deadpans, and feels her insides breaking.

“Riley?” He asks confused.

“Yes.” She replies pouting.

“Shit. Maybe it’s not serious?”

“I’m pretty sure it is. They live together.” She says sitting deeper into the couch. Maybe it will swallow her whole and she won’t have to live with this disgusting feeling inside her.

“And how do you know that?” 

“I went to her place.”

“Wait what? When?”

Maya decides to leave explanations for later, or maybe  _ never _ , so she ignores her friend’s shocked eyes. “And  _ he _ was there. I mean, she never said he was her boyfr-”

“She never said that?”

“No but I-”

“Did they kiss?” Zay interrupts again.

“No, but-”

“Are you sure they even live together?” He insists.

“Yeah. Well, I think-” Zay rolls his eyes and starts getting up. He just doesn’t get it. “He was there when we arrived. Even if he doesn’t live there, why else would he be there if he wasn’t her boyfriend?”

“Maybe they are just close friends. Like us.”

“No, Zay. This was different.” Maya argues.

“But how can you know that? Did you even ask?”

“No. But I have this feeling okay.”

“Okay Maya. Let’s pretend you’re right.” He says clearly finishing the conversation, she knows he still doesn’t believe her but she’s too sad to keep arguing about it. “Don’t mope too much, Vanessa’s coming over.”

Maya perks up. She loves Vanessa, she’s great. “She will be on my side.”

“No, she won’t. She knows you exaggerate everything.” 

And he might have a point, but then again, she’s too mopy to care. “Shut up, drama queen. Cuddle me?” She finishes batting her eyelashes.

Zay sighs exaggeratedly. “Okay, but only until V gets here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Liked it? I'm still a bit unsure about it.  
> I'm hoping to be posting next weekend again. I have really high hopes for next chapter.  
> Remember I LOVE some feedback.  
> And I love you too!  
> Thank you for the patience, you're great guys. <3


	5. to my heart i must be true

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grease, Josh Matthews and too many strawberry daiquiris.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm extremely sorry for the delay. Stuff happens.  
> Here you got a chapter I believe is great, just because great stuff happens in it.  
> I hope you enjoy.  
> Feedback is LOVED.

 

When Farkle told Maya they were going out to a party, she laughed at him. It was when him, Vanessa and Zay forced her into the shower that it stopped being funny at all. But the worst of all was when she got out of an hour long shower in her pajamas and found three faces scolding at her next to a coffee table now full of alcohol bottles.

Thing is, Zay was right about his girlfriend not being on Maya’s side. Vanessa heard the whole story and responded basically patting Maya’s head and not so subtly telling her to “fricking text that nice girl”.

Maya of course, didn’t comply. “You might have stopped being my favourite sister-in-law.”

To what Vanessa smugly and knowingly replied: “Like you have another. Besides, you  _ love _ me.”

That discussion, and her bringing the topic while they were having dinner that night, unavoidably lead, after two days of moping around, to “ _The GMTFO intervention_ ” also known as _Get Maya The Fuck Out._ Zay made the banner. And of course Farkle was the brains behind it.

 

“I’m not doing this.”

“Yes, you are.” Vanessa contradicts Maya.

“Why not?” Farkle asks at the same time.

“Because I’m tired.” Maya argues back, earning an eye roll from the three of her friends. She  _ has _ been sleeping a lot the last two days. “And sad. I don’t want to leave home.”

“You are sad because of a  _ supposition _ . All you are achieving by sitting here, disgustingly  _ moping _ -”

“And not replying that poor girl!” Vanessa chimes in, interrupting Farkle, who nods agreeing and continues.

“-is bury yourself in a pit of sadness which isn't even well-founded.”

She is aware Farkle’s probably right. She remembers last night when Farkle tried to cheer her up by showing her there wasn’t anything about Riley  _ dating _ Lucas on their social networks. Their huge amount of pictures together was still pretty gross. But Farkle might have a point.

Maya also remembers she’s been ignoring Riley’s texts for the past two days. Maybe she should text her back. After all, her stupid crush isn't Riley’s fault. 

“I fucking hate you.” She replies to both Farkle and Vanessa with deadly glare.

“Are we getting drunk or not?” Zay speaks for the first time in the intervention. She might consider him her only real friend by now.

“Of course we are.” Maya states and leaves for her bedroom to get changed.

“Pre-game!” She hears Zay obnoxiously yell from the livingroom. 

 

She doesn't put much effort, throwing on some high-wasted shorts and the first clean black top she finds. Her friends still wolf-whistle at her when she gets out of her room. After all, it might be the first time in two days she’s not wearing sweats.

“Wait.” Zay gives her a red lipstick and winks at her. She rolls her eyes but she still puts some on, before returning it to Vanessa, who hugs her. Farkle calls them from the coffee table where he’s cautiously finishing serving four tequila shots.

Maya, somehow, still loves her friends. “Let’s get fucking smashed.”

 

Smashed they get, and Maya’s grateful for that because no one had the guts to tell her they were going to a  _ frat _ party. 

The only thing Maya hates more than frat boys are  _ drunk _ frat boys. So she’s lucky she’s quite drunk herself. Which after some sweaty and wild dancing with the gang, leads to a reflexive Maya, which leads to loner Maya in the couch by herself, beer still in hand. Which eventually leads to Maya missing Riley and feeling guilty for not replying her texts. She scrolls through Riley’s texts from the last few days, so it’s not a surprise that she ends up texting her. 

_ (22:54) sososo sryr. bad time w phone _

_ (22:54) how r uuuuu _

_ (22:55) msiss u soo bad riles _

It’s that disastrous, and not having an instant reply doesn’t make it any better. So even drunk Maya regrets texting back. It’s not her usual drunk booty call, but then again, none of her feelings for Riley are the usual. It’s honest. And this new and unknown  _ thing _ is what makes her panic the most.

It turns out her reflexive self might be worse than dealing with frat boys.

All of sudden, she decides that she can’t go on living life pining about a girl or the stupid stuff she feels for her. She’s Maya Hart for God’s sake! She  _ can _ party, even if it’s surrounded by the stupidest guys on Earth. 

She gets up from the couch and ignores the dizziness, aiming for the dance floor where she hopes to find her friends. Roaming through the crowd, she finds Zay and Vanessa being sickeningly cute. And no, as much as she loves them, the last thing she needs is for the couple to pity her and make her third wheel the whole night. Just in time, she dodges them and three yelling frat boys. Farkle, on the other side, is missing, so she decides to get a new beer and head outside.

She puts her hair up in a ponytail because it’s fucking hot outside. Looking around she finds a ping-pong table and lets competitive Maya take over, even when the memory of Zay’s broken pinky last time they played, comes to her. She gets near the table and pokes the chest of a giant man-dude who appears to be playing beer pong on it all by himself.

“You’re so smoooooll.” The human Chewbacca laughs, evidently drunk, when he notices Maya.

“I wanna play.” She deadpans humorless.

“But you soooo tiny.” He laughs again.

“Then move.” The guy looks at her confused. She raises an eyebrow and repeats, “Move.”

“You are soooo rude.” He says offended, places the tiny ball on Maya’s hand and leaves.

“Gimme a break!” She curses. Perfect. Now she doesn’t have anyone to play with. Great. Fantastic.

“In your defense, you’re not  _ that _ small.” A manly voice says from behind her.

“Excuse me?” She finds another guy, this time, one who’s not wearing the frat boy attire. The guy looks a little bit older than her and is also really hot. He has blue eyes, a seductive smirk, dark hair and oh, a leather jacket.  _ Me likey _ , Maya thinks, still inspecting Hot Guy.

“Got it! Little but fierce as fuck. Wanna play?” He says gesturing towards the ping pong table. She smiles to that. “Thank God, the eyebrow thing was intimidating me a little.”

 

They play and they flirt and, of course, they drink. Maya feels kind of guilty for flirting, which is a first. She knows she shouldn’t, she isn’t doing anything  _ wrong. _ But she is aware she’s doing it to stop thinking about Riley, which isn’t working like, at all. Therefore, to cover that feeling she concentrates on the game and plays. Which is something she’s really good at, drunk and everything.

The guy, whose name she still doesn’t know, really sucks and Maya finds herself somehow cheating so she can actually drink.

“Okay, it’s official,” Maya says when all of Hot Guy’s cups are visibly empty. “I definitely beat your ass.” She twirls while doing her victory dance, but stops when the dizziness strikes again.

She sees the guy pick up two of her still full red cups, and offer her one. He’s pouting, and Maya  _ knows  _ she shouldn’t be thinking about Riley pouting. “Don’t get too sad, I like your face.” She says instead.

“Oh, you do?” He smiles smugly, getting closer to her.

“Boing!” She goes along, poking at his chest and making quite a show with her smirk and fluttering lashes. She tries to ignore the part of her that’s telling her she isn’t feeling much and that the boy is not Riley, and starts to lean a bi-

“Maaaaaya, is that you? You know Joshy?” A loud but familiar voice calls out from behind her. Maya turns around almost immediately to find Riley Matthews of all people, standing there, widely smiling at her and- Shit. 

She’s wearing a short floral dress and she smells like booze and strawberries. Under the moonlight, she somehow is more beautiful. Between the alcohol in her blood, the pink on Riley’s lips and her legs, Maya feels too dizzy to reply and she settles with smiling back.

“Wait. You are  _ the _ Maya?” Hot Guy asks to both of them, reminding Maya of his presence.

“And you are  _ Joshy _ ?” She quickly mocks, her eyes still on Riley, on her huge smile.

“Uncle Josh.” The brunette clarifies, nodding.

Her comment slaps Maya right in the face. “Uncle?”

“Yeah, told you about him. The doctor?” Riley tells her and hiccups. Maya tries to stay in the conversation but how come that hiccups are so cute on this girl?

“She’s  _ the _ Maya?” Josh asks again, only to remain ignored by the girls.

“I thought you were talking about some old dude. But he’s your uncle? Uncle...Boing?” She finishes glancing at him once again and she shudders grossed out. She was flirting with Riley’s uncle? Well, she now sees some kind of resemblance.

“I’m three years older, in fact.” He says proudly, which now annoys Maya.

“Yeah, whatever.” She dismisses him and comes back to Riley, pretty sure she’s making dreamy eyes at the brunette.

Josh rolls his eyes, and without the girls noticing, he leaves heading back inside.

“Hi.” Riley singsongs swaying her hips. Maya may die.

“Hey.” She says back, breathily. Suddenly becoming aware of how sweaty she is, how hot the air between them is.

“Didn't know you’d be here.” Riley confesses, playing with the hem of her dress. It reveals more of her tanned and soft looking skin, which Maya is craving to  _ touch _ . “It’s a really nice surprise.”

“Me neither.” She tells her, tying her tongue so she won't say anything stupid or inappropriate. “I love surprises.” Nope, it definitely doesn't work. Riley looks up and gives her a sweet smile, though.

They look at each other for a while, and Maya thinks she could spend her whole life doing this. But that’s until Riley’s face contorts into a frowning expression. “Did you ever get my texts?” She suddenly asks slurring her words.

To the sight of Riley’s hurt expression, Maya suddenly feels the stupidest person on Earth. Even dumber than frat boys. She feels her blood rush to her cheeks, burning. 

“I-I just replied to you. Like, an hour ago. Had some, urm, trouble with my phone.” She stutters, poorly lying, giving Riley a shit of a excuse she doesn’t deserve.

“Oh.” Riley replies, her honest smile returning to her face. “Lucas took my phone away from me. He says I do stupid stuff with it when I’m drunk.” She explains annoyed and Maya tries to push away how her insides hurt to the sound of Lucas’ name. Ugh, the human Ken must be here. “Like I’m _that_ drunk, right?” Riley finishes with a brushing off hand gesture which quickly makes her lose balance and almost fall to the ground in front of Maya. Luckily (or maybe not, it’s debatable), the blonde catches her just on time, struggling herself a bit when Riley grabs her hand to keep her balance.

Riley doesn’t let go, her hand warm and soft on Maya’s wrist. 

“Maybe we should get Lucas?” She blurts out, and immediately despises herself. Does she have to fuck up, like,  _ everything _ ?

“Booo! No, boring Lucas.” Riley complains with a mocking disgusted expression, which makes Maya chuckle like a fool.  “Have you tried the daiquiris? They were sooooo good. Strawberry. My tots fave. You should try it. Let’s get some daiquiris, Maya!”

As expected, she’s weak against Riley’s big pleading eyes. “Okay, let’s go.” She surrenders, pretending her response wasn’t totally predictable. She beams and lets herself enjoy the moment and totally forget about any Lucas as Riley intertwines their fingers and guides her through the crowd to the kitchen.

Said kitchen is empty. Making that the two of them alone, well, surrounded by too much alcohol. Maya doesn’t know if they are actually allowed to be here, but Riley looks so excited she can’t bring herself to ask.

“There’s some mix on the fridge. I’ll get the rum!” She announces happily, moving around the place like she’s been here plenty of times before.

“Come here often?” Maya asks intrigued. Is Lucas a frat boy? Maybe he  _ is _ stupid. She wouldn’t be that surprised, to be honest.

“I’m friends with some of the boys, yeah. Got them to buy the strawberries and everything.” Maya isn’t that surprised of that neither, she believes Riley has a personality capable of conquering the whole universe, if she wished.

She observes the brunette girl move around, preparing the drinks, pouring an excessive amount of alcohol on the mixer.

“How many of these did you have?” Maya worries.

“I dunno.” Riley shrugs unconcerned, insisting on pressing the incorrect buttons of the mixer. “Two? Four? Six?”

“Let me make them.” Maya offers, glad she’s not that drunk anymore, making the task in hand a simple one. “Get some cups, will ya?”

“Sure, thanks.” She complies, her eyes shining when she smiles at Maya in gratitude.

Riley comes back with two red clean cups and an exaggerated pout that makes Maya feel drunk all over again.

“There’s no more straws.” Riley complains, clumsily hopping up on the counter. When she gets to sit on it, she adjusts the skirt of her dress which has revealingly ridden up on her leg.

Maya tries to ignore her heartbeat and focuses on serving their fuchsia drinks. 

“Here.” She gives a cup to Riley. “But that’s your last one.”

“Why?” Riley whines playfully after drinking half of it. When she does it, Maya notices the other girl’s upper lip, stained with a thin layer of daiquiri. 

“What?” Riley asks again, evidently noticing that Maya is staring at her mouth. She smiles down really big at the blonde.

Something takes over Maya as she positions between Riley’s legs, her hands on the counter, cornering her. She looks from her chestnut eyes to her stained lips, wondering what do they taste like. Her eyes are directly staring into Maya’s and they freaking glisten and- Could Riley be inspecting, admiring Maya’s face, like she is? No. _That’s dumb_ , she repeats to herself. Maybe if she keeps doing it, sometime she will actually understand and let go. She takes a shaky breath and moves from her position -which is too close to Riley, too dangerous, breaking some kind of tension between them. 

“You got, um, some... over here.” Maya explains gesturing to her own upper lip. Earning an embarrassed smile from Riley, who swipes her tongue over her lip, cleaning it. Jesus Christ.

Some part of her  _ insists _ on coming clean, or just saying something that would ease the weight on her shoulders. As she learnt through her life, she ignores it, instead taking a sip of her drink, avoiding Riley’s stare.

And just when Maya is trying to think reasons to refute her idea of asking Riley to dance, to break the new tension she so not brightly created, Riley squeaks.

Maya’s eyes land in her as soon as she smashes her empty red cup against the counter, hopping off of it. She grabs Maya’s hand once again and starts heading to the dancefloor. All Maya understands from the brunette's too excited shrieking is something around “We gotta dance” and “My favourite song ever”.

The lighting isn’t very good in there, but Maya’s glad because that way she doesn’t have to face the sweaty people they are bumping into, as they get to a free spot on the dancefloor. Between curses and mumbled sorry’s from her, she starts to hear a familiar tune.

Just before the lyrics start, Riley turns around, now facing her. And _ sings _ .

“ _ I got chiiiiiills, they multiplyin', and I'm loooosing control _ ,” Riley sings to her, mimicking Travolta’s electrified expression. Maya can’t help but giggle. “ _ the power you're supplyin', it's electrifyin. _ ”

When Olivia Newton’s part starts, Maya realizes Riley’s waiting for her to sing along, but when she doesn’t (because she’s still giggling), the brunette sings her part too. Maya’s giggles only stop when she hears Riley sing “ _ cause I need a girl _ ” over the music, instead of “man”, as the lyrics originally go.

Trying to ignore the power this feeling has over her, she joins Riley. “ _You're the one that I want, ooh ooh ooh, honey.”_ Riley laughs, clumsily placing a hand on Maya’s shoulder, dancing like the couple on the movie.

 

_ “If you're filled with affection, you're too shy to convey, meditate my direction,”  _ Maya sings, trying to go with her best seductive voice. “ _ Feel your way.”  _ She winks.

_ “I better shape up, 'cause you need a girl.”  _ Riley sings, much clearly this time and Maya’s heart skips a bit. “ _ I better shape up, if I'm gonna prove that my fate is justified.” _

_ “Are you sure?”  _ Maya asks, more than singing.

_ “Yes, I'm sure down deep inside”  _ The brunette keeps singing, moving her shoulders as she looks at Maya until she copies the move.

Riley’s radiating happiness and that plus all the feelings that run through Maya’s body, make her go on, singing and dancing with her, like no one’s watching, like there’s nobody else in the whole world.

_ “You're the one that I want. Ooh ooh ooh, honey! The one that I want (you are the one I want), ooh ooh ooh, honey! The one I need, oh yes indeed!” _

Riley grabs her waist, so they can move together to the rhythm of the music, the better their laughing and drunk selfs are able to.

_ “You're the one that I want, ooh ooh ooh, honey! The one that I want. Ooh ooh ooh, honey! The one that I want, ooh ooh ooh! The one I need, oh yes indeed! You're the one that I want, ooh ooh ooh!” _

 

After ridiculously dancing to two more other bizarre songs, and Riley sneaking another cup of daiquiri, they get back outside. They sit next to each other on the stairs that lead to the house, to Maya’s pleasure, far away from the noise and loud people. 

Maya peacefully sighs, admiring the summer night. Trying to take everything in.

She finds Riley looking at her with an amused smile on her face. “What?” She asks, playfully bumping the other girl’s elbow with hers.

“Nthing’.” She replies, giggling while she plays with her newfound straw and drink.

Maya smiles back, truthfully, because with this girl, it’s impossible for her not to.

Riley finishes her drink and Maya is glad she doesn’t get up to get another, because she is so tired she doesn’t think she would be able to try to stop her. Instead, Riley places the empty cup on the step next to her and observes Maya.

“Hey” She says.

“What?” Maya repeats, not looking at her, trying to divert her attention from the strong strawberry scent.

“Maaaayaaaaa,” Riley sing-songs. “Why won’t you kiss me?”

“What?” She snaps shocked, her eyes flying to meet Riley’s, feeling herself sober up.

“I asked: Why. Won’t. You. Kiss. Me.” Riley repeats, punctuating each word, still slurring her words a bit. “I thought you liked me like that.”

Maya’s world stops. Are her ears ruined? Is she on some kind of high? Riley is looking at her, expectantly. She swallows and tries to remember Riley’s super drunk and that she can’t let herself do this. Not right now, not like this.

“I do. I really do.” Maya finally mutters, nerves getting to her. She tucks a strand of Riley’s hair behind her ear and she manages not to shake. “But I can’t.”

“Why?” Riley asks, looking at her with huge eyes, getting dangerously closer to Maya. 

“Because you have a boyfriend?” Maya can’t believe she has to remind her. Painful enough is having to remind herself every time.

Riley giggles. “No, I don’t.”

“What? What about Lucas?”

“Lucas’ not my boyfriend. Ew.” Riley says, making a gag noise.

Something shifts in Maya. She suddenly feels very stupid for not listening to Farkle, he’s a genius after all. She shifts on her seat as she feels some kind of hope grow inside her. “He’s not? You don’t have a boyfriend?”

“Nope.” Riley says popping the  _ p  _ and leaning even closer to her. After no response, she grabs Maya’s face with both hands, like the first time they met, and makes her look directly at her big brown eyes. “So, really, why won’t you  _ kiss _ me?”

Maya can’t take it anymore, so she closes the brief distance between their mouths and gently pecks Riley’s upper lip. Trying, tasting. (Strawberries and rum it is.) As she does that, she feels electricity run through her wrists’ veins and Riley’s hands tenderly caress her cheeks. She opens her eyes and sees her calmly smiling. This girl is going to end her. 

Maya laughs out loud, relief flooding her insides, and Riley does too. Her hands get to the back of Maya’s neck, and she uses them to close the distance between them once again. Maya shuts her eyes and lets herself just  _ feel. _ This kiss is a little bit fiercer, Maya being braver, going for it. She kisses Riley as she’s wanted since the time she ran her over. And oh if Riley kisses back. It’s deeper and longer. They both smile into it, and it becomes a perfect mess of tongue and neediness. 

Riley’s hands go from Maya’s cheeks to her waist, under her shirt. The blonde feels her head spin, clearly not from the alcohol. 

Her hand goes up Riley’s leg, softly touching, teasingly playing with the hem of her dress. Riley teases back, playfully biting Maya’s lip. Maya answers slowly moving her fingers past Riley’s dress. Just as Riley moans, she arches her back, crushing Riley’s empty cup. Awful sound that reminds the amount of drinks both of them had. Specially Riley. 

Suddenly guilt hits Maya, like an iced water bucket. She breaks the kiss, removing her hands and her everything from Riley, who opens her eyes with a disappointed expression. “You. I-. Was I.” She stutters. And Maya confirms she can’t go further, not in this condition.

“That- that was great. Really.” She reassures, caressing Riley’s chin. “I just. I don’t want you to regret this tomorrow.”

“I won’t. I swear.”

“Don’t.” Maya says, recalling all her awful drunk experiences with straight girls. Besides, this is Riley. Her state, it wouldn’t make it fair. 

Riley pouts and Maya almost regrets everything she said, but then the brunette pecks her lips once again, then smiling and saying: “Okay.”

She lays her head on Maya’s shoulder and searches for her hand, clasping it with hers when she finds it.

Maya’s insides turn and move and do backflips, and it’s fucking nice for once. 

They sit comfortably in silence, hand in hand.

Until of course, something interrupts the peaceful moment.

“Maaaaaya!” She hears Zay’s voice call. “There you are, my dear friend!”

“Fuck.” She mutters, earning a giggle from Riley.

“Maya! Here you are! I’ve been looking for ya everywhere!” He’s yelling, and his Texas accent is showing and he’s carrying a too happy to be sober Lucas. Why is he carrying Riley’s bo- Riley’s…Lucas? Why is Lucas fine with it? Where the fuck is Vanessa?

Maya doesn’t understand a thing but doesn’t know if she wants to either.

“Oh Riley! Hi!” Zay is still yelling, Maya’s sure half of the campus is hearing him. “Well, look who I found. Ha?” He points at Lucas, who laughs who knows why and waves the girls.

“Hi.” Riley smiles kindly, head still on Maya’s shoulder.

“Hey Zay.” Maya acknowledges, “Lucas.”

“Guess what?” Zay shouts.

“What?” A clearly drunk Lucas excitedly asks.

“Well, you know when Farkle showed us pictures of these two?” He asks Maya, whose eyes are now big as a plate, gesturing Riley and Lucas. Was that necessary? “I wasn’t paying that much attention, since you moping is  _ so _ boring.” Not necessary. At all. “But I  _ knew _ I’d seen that white bread face before!”

Lucas bursts out laughing, not offended at all.

“He’s Lucas!” Zay loudly states the obvious. “Texas Lucas!” Which Maya still doesn’t understand, focused on thinking multiple ways of murdering Zay. “We went to middle school together! Back in Texas!”

“Aw, that’s great.” Riley chirps excited. “You two are now reunited!”

Lucas manly hugs Zay, and Maya is still confused.

“And you know what’s best?” Her friend asks vociferously, and Maya is actually scared of what could come out of his mouth. “He’s not dating Riley!”

Riley laughs, entertained with Maya’s confusion and raises their joined hands. 

“Riley!” Lucas high-pitchedly cries out, extending a hand for her to high five. And Maya may hate drunk Lucas a bit less than the regular one.

As Zay is opening her mouth to probably keep embarrassing Maya, agitated Vanessa and Farkle arrive. Farkle waves both Maya and Riley, who happily waves back.

“Oh my god!” Vanessa says surprised, when she notices Riley. “Hi. Hello. Vanessa here. Zay’s girlfriend. At least for now.” She says glancing at her drunk boyfriend and then at Maya. “I’m so sorry I don’t know what he said, but- Oh my god!” Maya sees her notice their joined hands. “But, wasn’t she dating  _ him _ ?” Vanessa inquires, pointing at Lucas.

“No, not since that time.” He says, slurring his words and exaggerating with hand gestures. 

“What?” Maya snaps, her eyes back on Riley.

“In high school.” She explains shrugging. “It lasted like two weeks, and I was fourteen.”

Maya is still tense and she’s glad she is still a little bit drunk, otherwise, she would have already killed herself like, twice.

“Aren’t w’all happy now?” Lucas exclaims, moving his body in what Maya suspects is a cowboy kind of move.

“We are!” Zay replies, launching himself to Vanessa who rolls her eyes.

 

After some small talk, Farkle, who is surprisingly quiet, suggests calling two cabs. One to theirs and the other with Riley’s as destination. Maya has to let go her hand when the taxis arrive and Riley has to guide a very lost Lucas to the one that’s waiting for them.

Maya isn’t sure what the saying goodbye protocole is with someone you made out drunk, so, she salutes Riley. Because that’s how bright she is. From their cab, Vanessa looks at her with a confused face as she strokes an asleep Zay’s hair, while Farkle literally facepalms himself.

Maya is about to turn around when Riley comes back and plants a kiss on her cheek. Which makes her feel drunk all over again. 

Both girls head to their designated cars, smiling like fools.

Hell of a night, it was.


End file.
